Thoughts on Engine Hours...

[wakescene]

So I have a motor with bad compression...I have to get into the teardown to see what the real problems it. This will determine what I actually have to do.

After speaking with my local dealer about this, he didn't feel that 1060 hours was all that much. In our talk the scenario cam up that, if it's just a valve issue, having the heads redone should be sufficient and the motor would be good for another 500+ hours (assuming the low-end is not leaking or has some other issue.

What are everyones thoughts on hours? is 1000 a lot, or would 2000 be a lot???

If you look at your car's engine, it runs for many 1000's of hours with no real issues. I understand that the scenario is not exactly the same, but there is little worry there, why should it be any different for a boat engine.

Thoughts, info, experience? Post what you know.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Double D]

I have always heard that 2000 hours is like 100,000 miles on a car. I think.... My engine has about 1100 hours and still running strong and compression is good in all cylinders.

[dmayer84]

I had to do a full rebuild at 170 hours, but that was a bit out of the norm.

[shunra]

Yea the load on a boat engine is much higher than on a truck. So it is hard to compare hours to hours.

The way I think of it is like this. Manufacturers recommend an oil change every 50hrs in a boat. How often do you change your oil in your truck? 3000 miles? So using that math 1000hrs on a boat would be about equal in wear and tear to 60,000 miles in a truck.

Not sure how accurate that is but that is how I think about it.

[BrianM]

If your problems are head related I would most definitely make the head repairs and leave the bottom end alone. 1000 hours is some hours but with good maintenance the bottom end ought to be good for double.

[Jorski]

Also there are hard hours and easy hours.

My boat has 1500 hours on an LT1 that is as strong as the day I got it nine years ago. While we ski a fair amount, a ton of those hours are just putting down the lake!

For example ski school hours would be much more intense. Or worse would be a jackass owner who didn't do maintenance or give a crap about his boat.

[thatsmrmastercraft]

Originally Posted by shunra

Yea the load on a boat engine is much higher than on a truck. So it is hard to compare hours to hours.

The way I think of it is like this. Manufacturers recommend an oil change every 50hrs in a boat. How often do you change your oil in your truck? 3000 miles? So using that math 1000hrs on a boat would be about equal in wear and tear to 60,000 miles in a truck.

Not sure how accurate that is but that is how I think about it.

I would agree that this is a pretty close estimate.

[mikeg205]

There's many motors out there with 2000 plus... it all depends how well maintained and how often oil changed and if there was every an over heat situation. Friend lost an engine at 1008...there's a thread here.

[wakescene]

Originally Posted by Jorski

Also there are hard hours and easy hours.

My boat has 1500 hours on an LT1 that is as strong as the day I got it nine years ago. While we ski a fair amount, a ton of those hours are just putting down the lake!

For example ski school hours would be much more intense. Or worse would be a jackass owner who didn't do maintenance or give a crap about his boat.

We do everything. Wakeboard, wakesurf, waterski, tube, drive around...The wakeboarding could have up to 2100lbs of ballast, the wakesurfing, a little less or the same.

Maintenance has been done by me, and it not a concern, I do regular oil changes and keep things clean and (over)lubed as needed for a saltwater environment. I Replaced the oilpan a few years back, and the lower end looked very good. (about 800 hours). I am hoping for just an issue with the heads, it will reduce my expense dramatically!

[MC209]

I find it hard to believe that 1000 hours is like a 100,000 miles. or even 1000 hours is like 60,000 miles. I do know there are some hardcore boaters out their. but the majority prolly do not have over 1000 hours on their boat, little own have 2000! so I have notta clue on a good conversion!